Improvement in shade-holders



J. W. LYUNM Shade-Molina, N0.157,455.

Patented Dec. 8,1874.

\NVENTOR:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES W. LYON, OF BROOKLYN,E. D., NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN SHADE-HOLDERS.

Specification forming part of'Lctters Patent No. 157,455, dated December 8, 1874; application filed March 27,1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES W. LYON, of Brooklyn, E. 1)., in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shade-Holders for Lamps and Gas-Burners 5 and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which forms part of this specification.

My invention consists in the combination, with a suitable ring of the ordinary construction, of a supporting-rod (two or more) having a coil formed at some part of its length, and with a hook at its free end for receiving the lower edge of a lamp-shade, whereby the outer ends of such rod may be more easily and quickly attached to the shade, and whereby all the distortion of the rigid rods and all the manipulation of the sectional hinged rods at present employed are obviated. It consists, also, in the new article of manufacture of an improved lamp and gas shade holder, constructed as will be hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1is a plan or top view of a lampshade holder containing my improvements. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of the same. Fig. 3 shows a modification in the arrangement of the shadesupporting rods. 7 I

A designates a ring or collar, which is made of a flat strip of spring metal-preferably of spring-brass-and this strip is formed with short arms, I) b 1), two or more, projecting radially outward from it. These arms, where three are employed, can be formed by drawing the strip of sheet brass into a triangle by a suitable die or former, and then flattening or pressing together the corners as the triangle is pressed into a circle for the center. This will produce the radial arms and the center out of the same strip. A vertical eye, 0, is provided at the outer end of each arm to receive one end of a supporting-rod, B 5 and I preferably secure such rod by means of a rivet passed through an arm, b, near to the eye 0; but a proper attachment may be effected by soldering or otherwise. The supportingrods B are constructed so as to extend up from the ring A in a vertical direction for a certain distauce, where they are respectively provided with a coil, cl. They then extend outwardly in a downward direction, and preferably ter minate with hook-shaped ends 6 for receiving the lower edge of the shade. If the shade is to be a permanent fixture on the holder, the ends may be secured to the shade, or they may be otherwise formed, so as to permit of the temporary attachment of the shade.

I have shown a modification of my invention in Fig. 3. Here two of the supporting-rods B are made continuous, and a hook, e, for the lower edge of the shade to rest in, is formed at the point of junction, as will be clearly understood by reference to the said Fig. 3. In this case each spring-arm b can carry the up rights of two supporting-rods in fact, the wire forming these uprights can be folded at the proper point and the fold-ed part secured to an arm, I). In such case a continuous wire may be used to form the several supportingrods B.

It will be observed that the arms I) b b, being made of spring metal, act as springs, allowing the ring A to be expanded, so that it will adjust itself properly and firmly in place, irrespective of the variances in the diameters of the collars of lamps of different manufacturers. The same rule holdsgood when the ring is constructed of a suitable diameter for use with gas-burners of different kinds. It will also be observed that by constructing the supporting-rodsB with coil-springs 61 they are more reliable and durable in every respect, whether such rods be applied to the ring A b or to an encompassing-ring of any of the ordinary constructions. The coil-spring allows the ends of the rods to be thrown out so as to catch and hold the lower edges of shades of different diameters, and there is no liability of such rods bending or otherwise becoming distorted-a thing constantly occurring with the supporting-rods as ordinarily constructed.

I will here remark that I am aware that it is not new to provide a ring or central support for the supporting-rods of a lamp or gas shade with arms projecting radially from it. Such device is shown in the United States Letters Patent No. 77,059, granted to me in 1868, and in the United States Letters Patent No. 102,691, granted to me May 3,1870, and in the United States Letters Patent No. 113,181, granted to me in 1871; but, upon comparison, it will be observed that I construct the present ring A of a flat strip of sheet metal and form the arms I) by throwing outward portions of the same strip, so thatthe said arms I) shall act as springs, allowing the ring A, of which they are a part, to be expanded, and automatically close it, so that it shall accommodate itself to lamp-collars and gas-burners of slightly-varying diameters.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with a ring or collar, A,

of the rods B attached thereto and provided with coils d and hooked ends 0, substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.

2. The new article of manufacture of a lamp and gas shade holder, consisting of the combination of the following elements: the ring A, arms I), supporting-rods B, and coils d, substantially as herein shown and described.

JAMES W. LYON.

Witnesses:

M. M. LIVINGSTON, T. B. BEEGHER. 

